Wolf&Grayson EditorialMental health support for veterans is a growing priority, yet many who served still struggle to access the right help when they need it most. Hugh Andrée, a former army officer with 15 years of experience supporting veterans, confronted this reality during a family crisis that sent him searching for mental health resources. That experience became the spark for weServed, a platform he created to connect veterans with comprehensive support services.
Confronting Crisis and System Failures
Two years ago, Andrée’s family went through a deeply painful period when his youngest daughter experienced a mental health crisis at just 18. After months of counselling, she seemed ready to move forward with her first holiday abroad with a friend. What should have been a milestone turned into another challenge when she returned home carrying the weight of a traumatic experience. When she eventually shared what had happened, her words left Andrée heartbroken. The conversation triggered what he describes as a personal breaking point, filled with guilt and frustration at not knowing how best to support her. Despite his 15 years of experience helping veterans, Andrée found himself struggling to access the right support for his own family. “I’m a former army officer. I’ve been supporting veterans for over 15 years. Yet I didn’t know where to turn for help,” he recalls. Some of the most established services didn’t fit his situation, leaving him determined to create a better path forward.
Discovering Support with OP Courage
Eventually, Andrée was introduced to OP Courage, an NHS service for veterans. They saw him the very next day. After six weeks of intensive therapy, he finally received a diagnosis that explained decades of his life. “I was diagnosed with complex PTSD. It was linked to childhood abuse that I had hidden and carried for 48 years. The trigger for my CPTSD was what happened to my daughter.” The diagnosis helped him connect dots he had never fully understood. His childhood trauma had shaped his self-perception and even influenced his military service. “In therapy, I realised the reason I used to enjoy going to war was because of my total lack of self-esteem that had been instilled in me as a child,” he reflects.
This journey opened his eyes to how fragmented veteran support can be. “Part of my purpose in building weServed is to create an integrated healthcare and wellbeing segment,” he explains. The platform is designed to serve 5.1 million veterans and their families by putting a wide range of services in one accessible place. Andrée is clear about what the platform does—and does not—offer. “We are not qualified to provide mental health advice. What we do is act as a signposting facility.” Alongside guidance, weServed provides practical services such as 24/7 GP appointments and up to eight mental health support sessions a year for £4.99 a month, covering veterans and up to five family members. He has used the service himself. “I ran out of medication on a Saturday morning. I called the 24/7 GP service from my mobile. Within 15 minutes I was speaking to a doctor, and shortly after that, a prescription was sent to my local pharmacy so I could collect my medication.”
Sharing Lessons with Fellow Veterans
Andrée’s journey left him with three powerful lessons about mental health. First, recognise when you are struggling. Second, listen to the loved ones who care about you. Third, seek out the right organisation for support. “Honestly, OP Courage was an absolute lifesaver for me, and I could not recommend it more highly. I especially encourage middle-aged men who grew up with that stiff upper lip mentality to reach out,” he says.
He stresses that mental health challenges can take many forms. “It could be PTSD, complex PTSD, ADHD, or trauma from battle scars or childhood experiences.” Often, issues such as alcohol or substance abuse are symptoms of deeper, untreated struggles. The veteran community’s response to weServed has been overwhelmingly positive. “We’ve had over a million impressions and views on our social media,” Andrée notes. The feedback often carries the same message: At last, everything we need in one place. Thank you. Both Andrée and his daughter have chosen to use their experiences as a source of strength. She has channelled her pain into her music, writing some of her best songs during difficult times. Andrée encourages her with a message he now shares more broadly: “You have a choice. You can hide away and feel sorry for yourself, or you can take those experiences, learn from them, grow stronger, and come out a better person.”
Connect with Hugh Andrée on LinkedIn to learn more about supporting veterans through weServed.
